Apparatus for charging furnaces and the like



Nov. 25, 1930. F. c. BIGGERT, JR

APPARATUSFOR CHARGING FURNACES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 7, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l lNVENT OR A 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. c. BIGGERT. JR'

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING FURNACES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 7, 1927 Nov. 25, 1930.

Nov. 25, 1930. F. BI GER-r, JR 1,782,955

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING FURNACES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 7, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F" "7' T--' ;?111] J4 J4 f .4.

a 214 g ll 7 1 IA l LX J5 r22 Z2 INVENTOR Patented Nov. 25, 1930 f UNITED STATES PATENT OF I FLORENCE c. BIGGERT, JR, or cR FroN,' ENNsYLvANIA, AssIeNoa T UNITED ENGINEERING & FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF IYITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- I POBATION OF PENNSYLVANIA APPARATUS FOR CH RGING FURNACES AND THE LIKE Application filed January 7, 1927. Serial No. 159,559.

This invention is for an improved method of and apparatus for charging slabs, plates,

packs of sheets or other objects, into a furnace or other apparatus. I I In the usual practise of charging article of this nature into furnaces, the slabs or the like are deposited in a pile by an overhead crane in front of the furnace. They are removed from the top of the pile, one at a time, usually by hand methods, and shoved into the furnace. I I

According to the present invention it is pr( posed to provide a method and apparatus wherein the slabs or I other objects to be charged into the furnace or similar structure, are deposited at the front of the furnace in the usual manner. The slabs at the bottom of the stack or pile are shoved into the furnace, and as each successive slab is removed fromthe bottom of the pile, the pile drops down bringing another slab into positionto be moved into the furnace. There is accordingly provided a substantially automatic or magazine feed for the charging mechanism.

Theinvention may be readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings,

which illustrate more or less diagramatically, charging apparatus embodying the present invention. a I

In the drawings. I I Figure 1 represents a plan View ,of the charging apparatus;

, Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, showin gQits relation to the furnace;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the charging unit; this view being illustrated on a larger scale. The view shows o'neposition of the charging unit in fulllines the plane ture into which slabs or thelike are to be' fed, one at a time. The furnace has a charging opening 3 in the front thereof and ex the carriage, are one ormore plate or slab and another position of the charging unit in tending outwardly from the chargingop enmg, are parallel skids 4. The forward ends of the skids tare supported on a stander Supported on a stand 6, intermediate the stand 5 and the front of the furnace is a vertical stop plate 7 which extends across the Width of the skids 4;. To facilitate the movement of the slabs and the piling of the slabs,

and to facilitate the removal of the crane chainfrom around the pile of slabswhen it is deposited infront of the vertical plate 7, the vertical plate is preferably rearwardly inclined at its top to a slight extent, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The pile of slabs in front I of the plate 7 is designated A. The lower edge of the plate is spaced above the skidsa slight distance, preferablya dist-ancejust slightly greater than the thickness of the slab or other article to be charged into the furnace. I This space is designated 8. Extending rearwardly from the lower edgeof'thevertical'plate 7 is a horizontal flange 9 which braces the vertical plate 7 and which forms the top of the charging space 8.

Mounted below the skids 4 are parallel. tracks 10. Movablycarried on these tracks is the charging unit comprising a carriage having a frame 11 in the lower portion of which are rollers or wheels 12 adapted to roll' on the tracks 10. The rollers 12 are flanged to cooperate with the rails 10 to guide the carriage. Pivotally supported on a shaft or pivot 13 near the forward end of pushers 14. .The slab pusher 14 consists merely of a lever pivoted on the shaft 13 between its ends and having the inner end portion 14* of the lever heavier than the plate engaging part 14* of the lever. The outer end 14 is curved upwardly, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3 and the terminal portion thereof is somewhat in the form of a ratchet having a vertical sheet engaging face 14 and an inclined face 14:. Positioned rearwardly of the plate or slab engaging terminal of the member 14:. is a supporting platform 15. The rear portion of the platform is supported on links 16, havingtheir upper ends pivotally connected to the under side I of the platform at 17, and having their lower ends pivotally connected to the frame 11 at 18. The forward end of the platform is similarly supported on links 19, whose upper ends are pivotally connected to the platform 15, and which are pivotally connected intermediate their ends to the frame 11 at 22. Both of the links 19, there preferably being one at each side of the frame, have downwardly extending portions 19, with a trip engaging element at the lower terminal thereof. This trip engaging element is preferably in the form of a roller 23, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The platform 15 as thus supported, is capable of moving up and down. The dotted line position of the pusher unit in Figure 3 shows the platform 15 in its most elevated position and the full line figure-shows the platform in its lowest position.

Any suitable means may be provided for effecting a reciprocating motion of the carriage or charging unit along the track. For the purpose of illustration, I have shown a pressure cylinder for effecting this reciprocable movement, but it will be understood that any suitable or preferred mechanism may be substituted for this purpose. As

illustrated, there is provided a piston rod 25 having its outer end connected to the frame 11 at 26. The outer end of the piston rod carries the usual piston 27 in a cylinder-28s Pipes 29 and 30 are provided for supplying fluid under pressure to opposite ends ofthe' cylinder to operate the piston In the operation of the 1nvent1on, the charging unit is in the retracted position shown in Figure 2, corresponding to the dotted line position of the charger in Figure 3, and the table or platform 15 is in its highest'position. The slabs or other articles to be charged into the furnace are placed in front of the vertical plate 7 and on the skids 4. \Vhen the charger moves forward toward the pile of slabs, the pushing terminal 14" of the member 14 comes into contact with the bottom slab in the pile. The member 14 is prevented from moving backward at this time, by reason of the fact that the inner portion 14 thereof is in contact with a portion of the carriage frame at 14 As the charging unit continues to move forward, the member 14 will push the bottom slab from under the pile and through the space 8, as clearly shown in Figure 3. As the pusher is moving forward to shove the bottom slab from under the bottom of the pile, the platform 15, mounted on the carriage, moves under the next adjacent slab and supports the'pile while the bottom slab is being shoved out. In order to facilitate this operation, the forward edge of the' platformllf) ispreferably' beveled to a slight extent, as:1nd1- "cate'd in 15. A flange 15 on the rearvend of the platformabuts against the stop 15 in the carriage frame 11, so that the platform is -shov-ed out from under=the pile.

prevented from rocking rearwardly on its pivoted supports, by reason of the resistance which it encounters in moving under the pile of slabs. As the pusher reaches its forwardmost position and the bottom slab has been entirely removedfrom the pile, when the pile is supported entirely on the platform 15, the roller 23 engages a cam or trip 31, located in its path of forward travel, throwing the links 16 and 19 out of dead center, and cansing the platform 15 to move forwardly and downwardly, lowering the pile of slabs onto the skids at. The platform 15 drops a slight distance below the tops of the skids 4 in order to move entirely out of engagement with the pile of slabs. The charger is then moved in the reverse direction. The roller 23 moves out of contact withthe trip member 31 and the platform starts to restore itself to its normal elevated position. As the charging unit continues its retracting movement, the inclined surface 1 1 on the terminal 14 of the member 14 comes into contact with the bottom plate of the pile and the pusher is depressed so that it can ride under the slabs. After the charging unit has been retracted so that it is entirely clear of the slabs, the heavy ends 14; of the members 14: cause the members 14 to be restored to their normal position. The heavy extensions 19 of the links 19 also tend to assumea vertical position and in so doing, restore the platform 15 to-its normal elevated position, and the movement of the charger can be reversed to repeat the operation. In this way the plates are-successively fed into the. furnace from the bottom of the stack as each. plate is The pile is kept from upsetting by means of the platform and after each plate has been removed, the pile is lowered evenly onto the skids for the removal of the next succeeding plate. There is no mechanism above the pile which interferes with the operation of the crane that lowers the slabs into place and slabs can be lowered onto the top of the pile Without any considerable delay to the charging operation. The mechanism is simple in its operation and is positive.

The plate 7 tends to restrain the entire pile of slabs from moving while the bottom slab is being pushed out. Each succeeding slab will serve to push all of the slabs ahead of it along the skids 4 into the furnace, provided no other conveyor is used.

\Vhile I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein and that the construction of the parts can be changed with the contemplation of my invention and under the. scopeof the following claims...

Iclaim: a i

.1. Apparatus for charging articles into a furnace, including means for supporting a pile of articles, a usher for removing the lowermost article rom the pile, and vertically movable means for holding the pile against downward movement while the lowermost article is being pushed out from under the pile.

2. Apparatus for charging articles into a furnace, including skids for supporting a pile of articles, a charger reciprocable along the skids, article engaging means on the charger adapted to engage the lowermost article in the pile upon movement of the charger in one direction and adapted to ride under the pile upon movement of the charger in the other direction, and vertically movable means for supporting the pile against downward movement during the pushing stroke of the charger.

3. Apparatus for charging articles into a furnace, including skids for supporting a pile of articles, a charger reciprocable along the skids, article engaging means on the charger adapted to engage the lowermost article in the pile upon movement of the charger in one direction and adapted to ride under the pile upon movement of the charger in the other direction, and vertically movable means associated with the charger for supporting the pile on the pushing stroke of the charger, and for lowering the pile onto the skids after the lowermost article of the pile has been completely removed from under the pile.

4. Apparatus for charging articles into a furnace, including skids for supporting a pile of articles, a charger reciprocable along the skids for having a pushing dog thereon a apted to engage the lowermost article of the pile on the charging stroke of the charger, and to ride under the pile on the retracting stroke of the charger, a platform on the charger and means for raising and lowering the platform.

5. Apparatus for charging articles into a furnace, including skids for supporting a pile of articles, a carriage reciprocable along the skids, a pushing dog on the carriage adapted to engage the bottom article in the pile upon movement of the carriage in one direction and to ride under the pile upon movement of the carriage in the opposite direction, a

platformon the carriage, links on the carriage pivotally connected to the platform for supporting it, means in the path of travel of the carriage for operating the links to lower the platform, and means for reciprocating the carriage.

6. Apparatus for charging articles into furnaces including a carriage, means for supporting a pile of articles, means for reciprocating the carriage under the pile of articles and means on the carriage adapted to engage the bottom article in the pile upon the movement of the carria e in one direction and adapted to ride un er the pile upon movement of the carriage in the reverse direction a platform on the carriage, and means for raising and lowering the platform.

7. Apparatus. for charging articles into furnaces, including a carriage, means for supporting a pile of articles, means for reciprocating the carriage under the pile of articles and means on the carriage adapted to engage the bottom article in the pile upon the movement of the carriage in one direction and adapted to ride under the pile upon movement of the carriage in the reverse direction, a platform on the carriage, links on the carriage pivotally connected to the platform, said links being in a substantially vertical position to hold the platform in an elevated position, and being movable through an arc to effect a lowering movement of the platform, means for swinging the links in one direction to lower the platform,'and cooperating means on the carriage and platform for preventing the links from being swung in the reverse direction when the platform is in its elevated position.

8. Apparatus for feeding articles from the bottom of a stack comprising receiving means for normally holding the stack, a vertically movable platform for holding the stack while an article is being removed from the bottom thereof, and a horizontally reciprocable pusher cooperating with the platform.

9. Apparatus for feeding articles from the bottom of a stack comprising a receiving means for normally holding the stack, a pusher reciprocable under the stack, a reciprocable platform movable under the stack and means for raising and lowering the platform.

10. Apparatus for feeding articles from the bottom of the stack comprising a receiving means for normally holding a stack ofarticles, a reciprocable frame movable horizontally beneath the receiving means, a pusher on the frame adapted to engage an article at the bottom of the stack upon movement of the frame in one direction and to be depressed by engagement with the bottom article of the stack upon movement of the frame in the other direction, and a vertically reciprocable supporting platform for the stack on said frame, said platform being adapted to support the pile while an article is being pushed 

